IF ANYONE was looking for evidence of the fickle fortunes of cricket they could go straight to Bective East captain Nick Pearson.
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He could tell them about the game in which he was clean bowled for a second-ball duck and went on to make 144 not out.
That game ended on Saturday, with his Bulls winning on first innings against City United at Scully Park.
Pearson took advantage of some good luck to post the big score before declaring at tea on day two to go for the outright result.
“I was stoked with that, to go from zero to 144,” Pearson said.
“It’s my biggest score in first grade.”
The reason Pearson survived his early dismissal had nothing to do with him.
City failed to do a head count when it went onto the field and it wasn’t until after Jack McVey had shattered Pearson’s stumps that the umpires were alerted to City having 12 men on the field, thus making it a no ball.
Pearson said he also had some more luck early on day two.
“Jack McVey and Ben Semmler bowled well,” he said.
“I edged my first 30 runs today,” he said afterwards.
“You’ve got to have a bit of luck.”
The big ton meant Pearson beat teammate Adam Jones to the three best and fairest points despite a pretty handy game for Jones.
He took 4-15 with the ball in City’s first dig of 160 and then belted 54 from 42 balls in a 117-run partnership with Pearson.
Two points was still enough to give Jones the lead in the player of the year standings with only one game to play.
City’s Ben Chew scored one point for his 92 runs on day one.
South Tamworth paceman James Hammond was surprised to receive the three points in his side’s win over West Tamworth.
He and fellow quick Angus McNeil took four wickets apiece in the first innings while Hammond also scored a vital and unbeaten 20. West off-spinner Adam Penman received the one point.
Hammond believes South can defend its premiership if it can maintain “the same side”.
“Just keeping the same side every week is our problem,” Hammond said.
“We have players in and out every week. We struggle to get consistency.
“And we have three or four changes already for this week’s game against North too.”
Adam Lole polled the three points in North Tamworth’s narrow win over Old Boys with Michael Rixon the two points and Simon Norvill the one.
Rixon will skipper Norvill and the Tamworth First XI in Sunday’s Northern Inland Twenty20 in Armidale with TDCA president Richie Bullock to captain the Second XI.
TAMWORTH FIRST XI: Michael Rixon (capt), Simon Norvill, Nick Pearson, Adam Jones, Leo Steyn, Daniel Cunningham, Hamish Batley, Jack McVey, Ben Chew, Ben Semmler, Richiae O’Halloran, Matt Everett.
TAMWORTH SECOND XI: Richie Bullock (capt), Layne Berry, Mitch Holt, Joey Holt, Adam Pearson, Matt Kent, Luke Paterson, Chaise Crough, Deklan Baker, Ted Alderton, Jack Cameron, Simon Toyer.
